Drawer slide



Nov. 9, 1943.

D. A. cox 2,333,843

DRAWER SLIDE Filed Aug. :5, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 \Q vem'ror- Du leg A. 'Cox N 1943- D. A. cox

DRAWER SLIDE I Filed Aug. 3, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 9, 1943 P UNITED.

Michigan Desk Go'mpany, Grand Rapids Mi'chg ai eorporati'oni :Michigan ;;Aptu aepna guaia 1942,; SerialNo. 453341; rcane. (01. 45-47 This invention relates to; drawer. slides, and} is particularly adapted for" so -called" extension draw slides for filing cabinets. and similar ar ticles. v

One of the objects of. this invlition'is to projvide a structure which maybe. made, substantfa e ly entirely of wood, which'is particularly desire able during the present times because oifithe showing one of the drawers removedand another drawer extended.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the extension supporting cradle removed from the structure.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of one of the drawer sections of the cabinet showing the drawer fully extended and supported by the slide.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary transverse section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary transverse section on the line 55 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional plan illustrating the mounting of one of the bearing rollers near the end of a division bar of the cabinet.

Like numbers refer to like parts in all of the figures.

The cabinet is a case having a back I, sides 2, a top 3 and division bars 4 extending across the open front of the cabinet and dividing the drawer sections. Vertical frame members 5 are provided in the cabinet structure.

The drawers are conventional having fronts 6, sides 1 and rear ends 3. Each drawer is partially supported by a cradle having side bars l0 and transverse connecting bars II. The cradles are slidably mounted in the cabinet on rails as hereafter described.

Each of the side bars ll] of the cradle is provided near its end with a roller l2 mounted on a fixed axle and traversing the upper edge of a rail I3 fixed to the cabinet. The lower edge of each bar Ill rides upon a roller l4'mounted near the end of one of the division bars 4. For convenience of construction the division bars 4 are provided with a recess to receive the lower portions of the rollers I4 and a groove is formed in the upper surface of the division bar into which the in their lower edges w th longitudinal grooves axle .of the roller '14 isinserted. Ihe rollers 12 and 14' support the. downward load of 'the cradle.

and; the drawer mounted thereon.

Upward extensions lllii are. provided at'the rear .portionsl offlthe sidebars lllflof the Cradle and inJthese upward extensions, longitudinal grooves-l6 are formed which receive "floating rollers ll and side r'ailsjlB fixed tofthe cabinet have corresponding grooves.'I-9"fo,rmed in .their .lower edges. to receive the upper partsqof 'fthe floating rollers 11. .Dfliing operation therollers, ll traverse the grooves f6, and [Sand absorb.

the upwardthrust of; the, rear ends o'fithe'icradle bars. I '0. 'Stop' blocks 20 are, located inthe. grooves lfiiat .the respective ends. of the extensions Illa topreventthe rollers .tTleaving thegrooves.

The forward upper edges. of,,the',crad1ejbars I0 areprovide'd with. grodves, 'l to, receivejjthe floating. rollers "22. and rails1-23 as'tfened 'tof'the. respective sides I? of the, drawersjare provided 24'which receive'the upper of thefloat ing 61 1312, and these rollers traversably supportthe' downward thrustdffthedrawers on the 26 are located at the respective ends of the grooves 2| and 24 which when engaged by the rollers 22 prevent the rollers from leaving the grooves and also limit the normal outward movement of the drawers.

The rear ends of the drawers are traversably supported in either an upward or downward direction,- depending upon the, position of the drawer in the cabinet, by rollers 21 pivotally attached to the sides 1 of the drawers near their rear edges and these rollers 21 enter and traverse lateral grooves 28 in the vertical faces of the side rails I8. Outward movement of the cradle is normally stopped by downwardlyextending stop blocks 30 on the forward cross members ll of the cradles which strike the rear edge of a division bar 4, a piece of felt 3| preferably being interposed and attached to the division bar for quietness. When the drawer is retracted the rear surface of its front strikes the front ends of the cradle members In and moves the cradle also to the retracted position, a piece of felt 32 being provided at the contact surface of the drawer front for quietness.

When the drawer is fully retracted the cradle is also in retracted position and in this position the cradle is supported at its rear end on the rollers l2 and at its front end by the rollers l4 and the drawer is supported at its rear end by the rollers 21 and at its front end by the rollers and the cradles will also be extended being supported in the downward thrust by the rollers l2 and I4 and the roller l'l traversing the grooves l6 and I9 supports the upward thrust. This final extension movement is stopped by engagement of the block 30 against the felt pad 3i on the rear edge of the division member 4; In this position the rollers 14 are located "midway of the cradle bar In and support the downward thrust of the cradle acting as fulcrums and the upward by the rollers 11. ed in their downward thrust by the rollers 22 whichract as fulcrums andvthe upward thrust of the rear ends are supportedby 'the rollers 21.

If it is desired to remove the drawerfrom the structure after it has been extended it is merely necessary to'raise its forward end sufiiciently to free the rollers 22 from the stop blocks 26 whereupon the drawer may be moved outwardly re moving the rollers 21 from the grooves 28. If the cradles are to be'removed' from the cabinet after they have been extended the forward ends are raised suiiiciently to clear the stop block 30 from the'division bar 4 which will permitfoutward movement of the cradle in which the rollers l2 leave the rails l3 and the rollers H remain in their grooves l6le'aving the grooves! in the side rails l8. Reassembling the parts'consists merely in reversing the disassembling process.

This construction provides a smoothly operating strong and substantial extension drawer slide by which practically the entire length of the drawer maybe extended'from the cabinet but will be firmly supported in this extended po-' sition. The side bars ID are rigidly joined. in

7 drawerreceiving opening and a drawer therefor, of a drawer slide comprising, a cradle having, a pair; of spaced side members located ad- 'jacent the inner sides of said cabinet, cross members extending between and rigidly connecting thrust of the rear end of thecradle is absorbed Also the drawers are suppor'tthe unitary cradle'structure by means of the said side members, a'roller rotatably mounted at the rear*lower portion of each side member, a

pair or horizontal railsvrespectively attached to the-inner sides of said cabinet and} traversed by said rollers,'asecond pair of'rollers rotatably mounted on said cabinet beneath the respective Q, side members of said cradle and traversed by' the" lower edges thereof, agrooveiinthe upper edge of the rear portion of .each' of said side' members; a; second pair'of' horizontal rails each attached to an inner side of' said cabinet above a respecf tive side member, a groove in the lower edge of each of said second rails; a floating rollerlo cated betweeneach' of 'said side members and said second rails at each-side "of the cabinet and traversing said grooves therein, means for slidably mounting a drawer upon and between said i side-"members of the cradle and additional means for slidably'supporting'the rear end of said'drawer withinsaid'cabinet comprising, lateral grooves traversing said lateral grooves in said second rails j DUDLEY A. COX. 

